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LIW Society marks 50^th anniversary with many special events, contests

By John Prinzler, Editor

The De Smet News. Wednesday, January 17, 2007

            Fifty years ago the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society operated on a shoestring.

            The three founding members – Aubrey Sherwood, Alice Kirchmeier and Vera McCaskell – held Society meetings at cafes and at city hall in De Smet.  The Society hadn’t yet acquired the local buildings Ingalls Wilder mentioned in some of her books that take place in De Smet.

            “The Society’s first idea was to mark sites in the De Smet area that Laura mentioned in her books,” said Cheryl Palmlund, the Society’s executive director.  “Over time, the Society’s efforts grew into acquiring the Surveyors’ House, the Ingalls home, a replica of the Brewster School and the Sigurd Anderson Schoolhouse.”

            The Society now has a modern complex off Olivet Avenue equipped with offices, a conference room, archive space and a gift shop.  It is overseen by a nine-member board of directors and more than 900 members worldwide receive the Laura Ingalls Wilder Lore newsletter twice each year.

            The first school in De Smet, where Laura and her sister Carrie attended classes, will be moved from its Third Street location to the Society grounds by April 30.  Restoration will start after the building is moved to the Society grounds.

            “A lot has taken place within the Society since it was founded in 1957,” said Palmlund.  “We’ve planned a lot of activities in 2007 to celebrate those achievements.  We want to thank De Smet residents for their 50 years of support to the Society.”

            Fourth- and fifth-graders throughout South Dakota have been invited to take part in an essay contest.  South Dakota third-graders have been invited to enter a poster contest.

            De Smet middle and high school students have also been encouraged to submit writing entries.

            In February, in honor of the month in which Ingalls Wilder was born 140 years ago, Society staff will visit Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary School in De Smet and Immaculate Conception School in Watertown to teach students about Ingalls Wilder’s life.  Students will also spin wool, make butter and learn Braille because her older sister Mary was blind.

            A Family Fun Night will be in May on the Society grounds.  A new exhibit featuring the upstairs loft in the Surveyors’ House where Laura, Mary and Carrie slept will open in June.  Also in June the restored kitchen at the Ingalls home will open to visitor.

            Present and past Society board members, tour guides and volunteers will be invited to an honorary coffee in June.  A “country covered wagon” meal will be served to Society visitors in July.  Restoration of De Smet’s first school will also start in July on the Society’s grounds.

           Displays of the Society’s history can be seen at Peoples State Bank, Wells Fargo Banks and the Hazel L. Meyer Memorial Library.

            The Society encourages people to join the Laura E-Club by logging on to www.discoverlaura.org.  Each month members will receive a quote by Laura Ingalls Wilder, a learning article, information about an artifact and a kids’ fu activity.

            Fun facts about De Smet’s past will be published every other week in the De Smet News.  Information for the fun facts comes from De Smet newspapers published in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

            “Fifty years is a great milestone for the Society,” said Palmlund. “We want to get the word out about what’s happening at the Society this year to all those who have read and loved the ‘Little House’ books by Laura Ingalls wilder.  We want to make their visit to De Smet a family, fun-filled experience.